The present invention relates to combined environmental and refrigeration systems suitable for use in supermarkets, or the like, and, more particularly, to increased efficiency systems with means to reclaim heat from the refrigeration system and sub-cool the refrigeration system working fluid.
Supermarkets, and the like, generally include both a refrigeration system for refrigerating the interior of display cases and freezers, and a separate environmental system for heating, cooling, dehumidifying, and otherwise conditioning the interior environmental space of the supermarket. Traditionally, the refrigeration system includes a centrally located equipment room containing compressors, condensers, fans, and blowers with pipes to conduct the pressurized working fluid through evaporator coils located in various display cases and freezers. The environmental system, which may be a reversible heat pump, is usually a centrally located self-contained unit with space air inlet and return ducts opening into the conditioned space of the supermarket.
When the environmental system is in its heating mode, the efficiency of both the environmental and refrigeration system has been increased by diverting a portion of the hot refrigeration system working fluid through one or more heat reclaiming coils located in the environmental system ducts. While the heat reclaimed thereby increases the overall efficiency of the systems, the increase is available only when the environmental system is in the heating mode and requires additional working fluid pipes, valves, and one or more heat reclaiming coils. As can be appreciated, the increased capitol and maintenance costs associated with the heat reclaimed coils and their associated structure diminishes the savings resulting from the increased operating efficiencies.
It is a broad object of the present invention to provide a combined environmental and refrigeration system for use in a supermarket, or the like, for refrigerating the interior of display cases and freezers, and for conditioning the interior space of the supermarket.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a combined environmental and refrigeration system in which the efficiency of the system is increased by substantially reclaiming the heat rejected by the refrigeration system during the environmental system dehumidification mode and heating modes.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a combined environmental and refrigeration system in which the efficiency of the system is increased by sub-cooling the refrigeration system working fluid during the environmental system dehumidification mode and heating modes.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a combined environmental and refrigeration system in which the refrigeration system condenser is located in the environmental system thereby eliminating the need for heat reclaim coils and their associated valves and piping.